My favorite projects in the whole wide world are pallet projects; mostly because they are easy to find and easy to use. Also, a lot of you guys seem to request different variations of pallet art, and I am all ears. To be perfectly honest, this was the scariest project I’ve ever done. Not because it was hard or anything, but mostly because it is on YOUTUBE as my first video tutorial (cue me screaming… and not in a cute way, but in a “what did I get myself into” way). While I’ve done similar projects like this in the past, wooden letters have been specifically requested. So, I thought, why not make this my first video/blog experiment? Please tell me I made a good choice…
To start (I cannot believe I’m saying this), if you’d like to see this project in action, you can visit YouTube for the full, filmed tutorial.
If you happen to head over there, maybe leave me some nice comments to make me feel better about this new adventure… Oh, and I guess I’m supposed to ask that you subscribe to my channel if you like what you see (I am such a newbie at this)!
This project was great. The bulk of the materials were practically free since I used a pallet. It’s also extremely similar to my Pallet Board Map project I did a few weeks back – but, I thought it would be fun to show you guys a different variation. That being said, let’s get started!
What You’ll Need:
Tools
Jigsaw
Drill & Bits
Sander
Clamps
Kreg Pocket Hole Jig
Printer
Scissors
Tape Measure
Pencil/Marker
Materials
Pallet Wood
Pocket Hole Screws
Stain (optional)
Wood Glue
(I used DAP Rapid Fuse Wood Adhesive)
The Steps:
1. After deconstructing your pallet, pick your favorite boards and line them up in the way in which you wish to see them. Make sure to pick boards that are similar in width.
2. Print out the image of your letter in the height and width that you want. I used Photoshop to make mine 2 feet tall.
3. Once printed, cut it out.
4. Flip all of your boards over so you can drill pocket holes in the back.
5. Once the boards are flipped, place your letter on the boards upside down. You will want the letter to be mirrored.
6. Trace the letter.
7. Use your marker or pencil to make tentative markings for your pocket holes. These don’t need to be perfect, they are just guidelines.
8. Clamp one board at a time to a flat surface.
9. Choose the appropriate jig length based on the width of your boards. You can find this information in the manual that came with your pocket hole jig.
10. Once your pocket hole jig is set up, clamp the jig to one board at a time and begin to make your pocket holes.
11. Before screwing the boards together, use wood glue for a stronger bond. I used my DAP Rapid Fuse Wood Adhesive.
12. Line up your design and begin to screw your boards together with the appropriate pocket hole screw.
13. Once the boards are screwed together, use your jigsaw and a clean cut wood blade to follow the lines you traced earlier.
14. For letters with insets (like my “R”), use a drill to create pilot holes for your jigsaw to fit.
15. Sand (and stain, if that’s your style).
That’s it! Now you can display your project with pride and brag about how awesome you are.
I should use this opportunity to say thank you for all of your love, support, and encouragement. This blog has taken me around the world and back. I wouldn’t be where I am without you guys egging me on! I hope you loved this project as much as I did, and if you have a spare 7 minutes, please check out my FIRST YOUTUBE VIDEO (I still can’t believe that’s something that came out of my mouth… or, my fingers).
Until next time guys!
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